I have a four year spotted saddle mare that has white hairs on her back and is sometimes sore on her lower back. I use a 16" simco roping saddle on her. It is the saddle I broke her in with. She never acts like she it is hurting her or like it messes with her gait. It is just sometimes when you take the saddle off she is a little bit sore and once you spray her off and let her rest she is fine. She is an extremely quick little mare and never misses a beat when she gaits. She gaits just as fast as our other horses at quick canter and nothing seems to bother her. I was told to switch to a gaited saddle that was hollow all the threw the spine but I would like suggestions sense I am not very familiar with the gaited world.

Joe4d

09-03-2011 11:50 AM

QH saddles have probably ruined more good gaited breeds than anything else, re read your post, your saddle is hurting her, If she doesnt have behavior problems now she will eventually. get a proper fitting saddle.

toosexy4myspotz

09-03-2011 12:20 PM

Well that is part of the reason I was asking for " suggestions " on gaited saddles. My mare hasn't been rode in months because I have yet to find a decent saddle. So it's not like I have continued riding her while she is uncomfortable.

smrobs

09-03-2011 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe4d
(Post 1161032)

QH saddles have probably ruined more good gaited breeds than anything else, re read your post, your saddle is hurting her, If she doesnt have behavior problems now she will eventually. get a proper fitting saddle.

An ill-fitting saddle is an ill-fitting saddle regardless of what style it is or what breed the horse is. It's got nothing to do with gaited saddles vs non-gaited saddles on gaited horses. The saddle just doesn't fit, period. There are just as many gaited horses being ridden in ill-fitting gaited saddles and just as many stock horses being ridden in ill-fitting stock saddles. Not every horse is a picture perfect copy of the model that saddle makers use and not every gaited horse will be comfortable or properly shaped for a gaited saddle.

OP, the most important thing you can do is get a saddle fitter (or even just someone very experienced) out who can tell you which tree style and size will work best for your horse, whether it's a gaited saddle or a different brand/style of stock saddle.

toosexy4myspotz

09-03-2011 01:48 PM

The problem I have with Chey is she is very broad for a gaited horse. She is broader than my foundation app. I have tried my husbands gaited saddles on her and they wont even sit down on her back. I have been looking into the Dixieland? saddles. So hopefully I will know something soon about that. I would like to get my mare back under saddles asap.

smrobs

09-03-2011 01:56 PM

As expensive as it is, some people do have to opt for a fully custom saddle because their horse is just so hard to fit.

toosexy4myspotz

09-03-2011 02:15 PM

we have two horses with custom made saddles and then two that use just whatever that we have never had any problems with and then Chey how I have only ridden one year and later in the year is when she started showing signs of white hairs. We have guy around us that does custom saddles but he does quarter horses. And he wont mess with the gaited breeds so that is why I was looking into the dixieland saddles.

smrobs

09-03-2011 02:22 PM

I don't know much about the Dixieland saddles but if you think one will work, give it a shot.

A horse's back can change throughout their lives, depending on how they are being ridden and what type of riding/work they are doing. The saddle may have fit her when you first started riding but the more you rode, the more different muscles built up in her back and made the well-fitting saddle not fit so well anymore.

One of the reasons why I suggested a saddle fitter is that you may not need a whole new saddle, the fit might be close enough that you would just need one of those special saddle pads with the removable shims and the fitter would be able to tell you if you needed one, what brand is the best, and which shims you would need to leave in or take out. They aren't terribly cheap, but when compared with a custom saddle, they are much more affordable.

toosexy4myspotz

09-03-2011 03:49 PM

I would love to have a gaited saddle though because because we gave other gaited horses and it does make a difference as far a the freedom in the shoulders and having a rounded skirt. Everyone I have tried on her just won't sit down on her back it pooches upPosted via Mobile Device